5 minute read
AFLW Update
AFLW
BOB MURPHY
UPDATE
2022 was a significant year for both our AFLW program and for the competition.
To ensure future seasons are played at the right time of year, there was a need to power through two seasons in one year.
Seven premiership seasons in and the league is now in a position in the football calendar where it can thrive. There is a sense that this is the end of phase one of the AFLW, and we’re off to bigger things from here.
Having said that, following such a year and the efforts required to get us here, there is a current sense of fatigue from players, coaches and staff.
I’ve said before that the AFLW has almost been a victim of its own stoicism and willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good. The players have always stood up, making it to training and getting to games while still giving their all off the field. I take my hat off to everyone who pushed through the year. It should never be forgotten how much time and effort has been put in by so many people with their heart in the right place to get this competition airborne.
Now we’re about to take this aircraft to a higher altitude, at higher speeds and in a bigger aircraft.
Overall we had a solid year with many highlights but it was capped off with a disappointing season in terms of win-loss. Despite all of this the playing group never gave up at any point in the year.
Our players have big hearts.
The highlight of the year was how the group galvanised during our interstate hub in Season 6, winning four of five games in a condensed schedule while dealing with the uncertainty of when they would come home. They topped the season off with the best football I’ve seen this team play in a final against North Melbourne.
Following Season 7, we made the difficult decision to make a change to the Senior Coach role.
There will always be mixed reactions to change.
Trent Cooper’s been great for the footy Club and we thank him for everything he has done since he arrived in 2018.
We’ve had some great success on the field under Trent’s stewardship and he always worked tirelessly with the Club front of mind.
With change comes opportunity and I am excited about where we can go with what’s already been built and what we can add to it.
This year was Hayley Miller’s first as captain, and she’s been very impressive in the role.
It can sometimes be difficult and lonely as a leader, but she managed all of the challenges and played the best football of her career, capped off by earning vice captaincy of the Season 6 All Australian team.
If you pair Seasons 6 and 7, it’s one year in life as a leader but it probably adds up to three or four years in terms of lessons learnt and feathers in her cap.
Hayley also did well to step into the shoes of our inaugural captain Kara Antonio, who has since announced her retirement.
What initially drew me to the AFLW was a curious combination that seemingly the whole competition shared.
Firstly, that the game was greater than itself. It was about this pioneering spirit to shine a bright light on women playing football to inspire a country, and especially a generation of young girls.
This was a collective cause, but at the same time, there was this absolute ferocity and hunger to crush your opponent as soon as the siren went.
I can’t think of any in the game that are a better example of this than Kara.
She’s incredibly proud of being the inaugural captain, as she should be, and I think she very much was a part of the furnace of that pioneering spirit. You only have to listen to her teammates to hear the respect they have for her, and it’s because of her competitiveness and tenacity as soon as the first siren sounded.
She leaves a big legacy.
Just to give an indication of the growth and change in our list, we had 10 debutants in It’s worth giving a special mention to Aine, Orlagh and Amy Mulholland, our Irish trio who have had a big impact on our Club – highlighted by Aine’s third place in the Season 7 Fairest and Best and Orlagh winning our Season 7 Best First Year Player after only arriving at the Club a week before the season started.
Looking ahead to 2023, we have a great base to build from. We’re reinvigorating as a group and we want to take on some fresh ideas and continue to evolve and grow at a speed that matches or surpasses our competitors.
What won’t change is Fremantle consisting of a team of purple hearts that is seven seasons strong and this will continue for the next 70 seasons and more.
To finish, I just want to reiterate the absolute gratitude we have as a Club to everyone involved in our AFLW program, from the players and coaches to our dedicated staff.
AFLW attracts the right people and so much is expected of every individual and so much of this is done in the shadows when no one is looking.
But I want you to know that the Club sees you, and we appreciate all that you do to ensure we have 21 of our best pull the jumper on to go out on the park and make the Fremantle family proud.
Season 6 in Jess Low, Aine Tighe, Airlie Runnalls, Dana East, Amy Franklin, Sarah Wielstra, Mikayla Morrison, Makaela Tuhakaraina, Ann McMahon and Maggie MacLachlan.
Then in Season 7, Nikki Gore (Club debut), Megan Kauffman, Madi Scanlon, Orlagh Lally, Tara Stribley and Amy Mulholland made their debuts.
We also had Mikayla Western and Madizen Wilkins play a game each as top up players.
We had enough new faces to field a team with two on the bench, which gives a clear indication of the growth that is to come from this group.
